Born Kanneganti Brahmanandam on February 1, 1956, in Chaganti Vari Palem village near Sattenapalli, Andhra Pradesh, the actor was one of six children raised by his carpenter father, Nagalingachari. After completing a Master’s degree, he entered the entertainment industry, debuting on television in 1985 with DD Telugu’s Pakapakalu. The show caught director Jandhyala’s attention, leading to his breakout film role in 1987’s Aha Naa Pellanta.
